Schenectady Man Sentenced to 63 Months on Firearm and Drug Charges

Defendant Accidentally Shot Himself With Gun That He Unlawfully Possessed

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Edwin Ferrer, age 44, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a handgun, ammunition, and crack cocaine.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New York Field Division.

On March 29, 2017, following a three-day trial, a jury voted to convict Ferrer of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, as well as a small quantity of crack cocaine. The evidence presented at trial showed that on December 18, 2015, Ferrer was driving his Cadillac SUV in Schenectady when he accidentally shot himself in the leg with his Smith & Wesson pistol. Investigators searched his SUV and recovered the pistol, six rounds of ammunition, and approximately a quarter of a gram of crack cocaine. As a felon, Ferrer was prohibited from possessing the pistol and ammunition.

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, which will start after Ferrer is released from prison.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Schenectady Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss.